28 minute read
Boys Swimming
from Winter Sports 2022
by Newspaper
FORT DODGE BOYS SWIMMING
Dodgers focus on finding balance, depth
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By ERIC PRATT
sports@messengernews.net
The Fort Dodge boys swim program knows it has an exceptional talent on its hands in sophomore Dylan Alt.
Dodger head coach Ashley Beaumont would love to see Alt’s teammates follow his lead — maybe not necessarily in terms of accomplishments, but by shadowing his work ethic and commitment level to the sport.
“Dylan really sets the tone, and I do think it’s starting to have a positive impact on the others,” said Beaumont, who is in her fifth season at the helm on the boys’ side. “I don’t expect (the rest of the squad) to achieve at his level, but he’s an example of what can happen if you put in the time and the miles.”
Alt joined the program last winter as a freshman student from Algona High School. Beaumont acknowledged it wasn’t the easiest transition at first.
“Given both his age and skill set, it kind of naturally made him an outsider,” Beaumont said. “He had to make the 50-minute trip down (to Fort Dodge from Algona), and it was almost like we were running two different practices.
“I think he’s more comfortable around the team now, and they feel the same way about him. I see him joking around more and developing friendships (with the other Dodgers). They’ve looked up to him and respected him from day one, but I think the (personal) bond is forming more and he’s leading more by example than ever before. We love having him here.”
Four seniors are back to provide leadership for Fort Dodge this winter: St. Edmond student Kevin O’Connor, along with Alexander Hansen, Michael Miller and Logan Eddington. The Dodgers aren’t where Beaumont would like them to be — in terms of both quantity or quality top to bottom — but the veteran coach isn’t discouraged by the early-season development.
“It’s a great group once you get them all together,” Beaumont said. “Would I like to see more of a (collective) offseason (effort)? Of course. But they encourage each other and are fun to be around. It’s a good mix of guys we’ve had and some newcomers.”
Alt, Evan Cooper, Carter Jorgensen and Brady Major are the sophomores. A freshman crop of six swimmers is also vying for varsity time in the pool.
Alt was a state qualifier in both the 200 and 500 freestyle a year ago. Despite being seeded 21st and 22nd, respectively, and looking like a long shot to advance out of the preliminary round — the Top-16 moved on to the finals — Alt dropped his times and nearly made the cut, placing 19th in the 200 and 17th in the 500.
“It gave Dylan an idea of where he was and where he needed to be,” Beaumont said. “He’s grown up a lot and has high expectations for himself. He’s gone to clinics around the country, and he just got back from the USA Triathlon camp in Arizona. He’s always training, but not just in the pool. He’s becoming a more wellrounded athlete from running to biking to swimming. I think it’s great, because sometimes, you can drive yourself crazy just staring at the black line (in the pool).”
O’Connor is now a four-year varsity regular. He placed 10th in the 200 individual medley at districts last winter, and joined with Alt and Cooper as part of the sixth-place 200 freestyle relay quartet.
“Our seniors are all doing a terrific job,” Beaumont said. “I’m excited about the young kids and their potential, too. I look at someone like (Manson Northwest Webster ninthgrader) Dane (Wooldridge, the younger brother of Dodger girls state competitor Reagan Wooldridge). Dane really wants to push himself, and he’s struggling a little right now. But that’s a good thing. You want to care enough to have to fight through that (early-season) adversity.”
Beaumont will again be assisted by Ethan Martin this winter.
Messenger photo by Britt Kudla FORT DODGE BOYS SWIM RETURNING TEAM MEMBERS are, front row (left to right): Kevin O’Connor, Brady Major, Evan Cooper and Alexander Hansen. Back: Dylan Alt, Michael Miller, Carter Jorgensen and Logan Eddington.
HEAD COACH
Ashley Beaumont
5th year
ROSTER Logan Eddington....................... sr. Alexander Hansen..................... sr. Michael Miller ........................... sr. Kevin O’Connor........................ sr. Dylan Alt .................................. so. Evan Cooper ............................ so. Carter Jorgensen...................... so. Brady Major ............................. so. Samuel Brockbank.....................fr. Owen Gruver .............................fr. Logan Moenck...........................fr. Evan Potter ................................fr. Aiden Seagren ...........................fr. Dane Wooldridge.......................fr.
SCHEDULE
Dec. 1 — Des Moines Lincoln; 3 — at Boone Invitational; 8 — Des Moines Roosevelt; 15 — at Marshalltown.
Jan. 5 — at Mason City; 12 — Ames; 14 — FDSH Rusty Garst Invitational; 21 — Iowa Alliance Conference meet in the Dodger Pool.
FD BOYS, Continued from Page 2 SE BOYS, Continued from Page 6
Sophomores Carter Woodruff (point guard) and Cade Westerhoff (off guard) were the freshman squad’s leading scorers last winter.
“There’s a learning curve with both of them, but they have a lot of potential,” Williams said. “For (underclassmen), it’s all in finding out if they can handle the pressure and the physical and mental grind of varsity ball once the season gets rolling.”
Seniors Ti’Juan Isom and Davis Friedrichs are also expected to push for time, as well as Drake Warland, a sophomore.
FRONTCOURT
Wilson is somewhat undersized at 6-foot-1, but Williams likes his hustle and willingness to do the dirty work.
“Kyron’s a quiet leader. Kids follow him,” Williams said. “He’s going to take a big leap. He’ll defend and he’ll rebound. We always need guys like that who want to embrace their roles and do the little things.”
Junior Ryan Daniel has grown to 6-2 and will be another go-to player for rebounding and defense, according to Williams.
“Ryan isn’t as worried about scoring, but that’s OK,” Williams said. “You can’t win games with five guys on the court who all want to shoot and worry about points. Ryan is the kind of kid that our program needs more of if our (identity) moving forward is going to be getting the job done on the defensive end and by being relentless.”
Creighton Peed, a 6-4 move-in, and Talen Warland, a 6-3 senior, are options as well.
Messenger file photo JAVION JONDLE defends for the Fort Dodge boys last season. Jondle will be a three-year starter.
SCHEDULE AND COACHES
The Dodgers transition into the Iowa Alliance Conference this season, joining defending Class 4A state champion Ames (23-3 a year ago), Marshalltown (11-12), Mason City (6-17), and Waterloo East (6-15) in the Northern Division.
The IAC South consists of Des Moines Hoover (16-9), Des Moines Lincoln (11-10), Des Moines Roosevelt (7-14), Ottumwa (7-16), Des Moines East (3-19) and Des Moines North (2-21).
Fort Dodge has traded out traditional Central Iowa Metro League rivals for games against Clear Lake, Boone, Humboldt, Spencer, Sioux City East and Sioux City West. Only Urbandale remains as a CIML holdover.
“(The schedule) is a good mix with a lot of challenging matchups,” Williams said. “Ames obviously had an incredible year (last winter), Marshalltown and Mason City are always tough, and Waterloo East will be, too.
“It won’t get much easier just because we’re out of the CIML. But I keep telling guys, whatever you put into practice, you’ll get out of the season. If you work hard, listen, play well together and build chemistry, we’ll move in a positive direction. I’ve seen good things so far, but we have to keep taking steps forward every day. There’s a lot that’s still up in the air.”
Williams will be joined on the bench by Charles Clayton, Tyler Winter, Bryan Fredrichs, Damien Miller and Jordan Jackson. Miller will coach the junior varsity; Winter and Jackson are the freshman coaches. some others.
“We’re excited to get Jakob back next year and out on the floor. He is going to be a key piece to our future.”
Palmer, now in his third year as a starter, averaged 9.6 points with 3.2 rebounds, three assists and a steal per game last season. He shot over 40 percent from the field, 70 percent at the free throw line and 31 percent from the 3-point stripe.
Mericle averaged 5.5 points, four rebounds, 1.5 assists and shot almost 50 percent from the floor, while Laufersweiler accounted for eight points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Lursen three points with three rebounds.
“More confidence,” Kochendorfer said. “You just see a lot more confidence in all four of those guys. Jackson is familiar with all of this and knows what we expect out of him and his teammates, JT has gotten a lot stronger and more physical, Sam is really turning into a tremendous athlete and Aaron grew over the year while also becoming more self-confident.
“We’ve just got to keep them doing what they do so that the younger kids see that. When you have leaders like those four out front in sprints and drills, I think it’s easier for the other kids to buy into everything.”
Dickerson has an award-winning season of football and opted to join the Gaels over the winter. Kochendorfer said that decision “was a pleasant surprise.”
“He’s just a really good athlete and you can never have too many of those,” he said. “We’ve had kids like Johnny over the years come out who might not be as sound at basketball, but get by because of how athletic they are. He’s really learning a lot quickly and is going to give us a nice presence down low.”
Clavey, Kolacia and McElroy are three others that “have just played a lot of basketball already.”
“They are young and still learning, but they know the game,” Kochendorfer said. “You don’t have to tell them several times the little things.
“That whole group of freshmen really had a lot of success at the lower grade levels. They’ve been playing together for a long time and are basketball smart. I think we’ll definitely be using them quite a bit.”
Kochendorfer is also looking to make a quick start out of the season before the Christmas break. The Gaels play three of their first four outside of the NCC before the extended holiday, but close the December part of their schedule with four consecutive league games — including road trips to preseason favorites Humboldt and Clear Lake.
“I think it’s important that we get as many of those games as we can,” he said. “As coaches, we are already looking at the ones we feel we have a good shot at and really putting a lot of focus on those.
“I think it’s important to build that momentum. Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘Well done is a lot better than well said.’”
Pat O’Rouke will once again by assisting Kochendorfer, with Matt Dillon handling eighthgrade duties and Luke Becker seventh. Landon Saathoff is the team manager.
Messenger file photo JACKSON PALMER is in his third year of starting for the St. Edmond boys basketball team.
FORT DODGE GIRLS BASKETBALL
line is she provides value and will be on the court (in some capacity). She’s mature and puts in a lot of extra time.”
Messerly hinted that the younger Maehl may bring the ball up the floor in a point forward role when necessary.
“LJ’s a very wellrounded player,” Messerly said. “She’s wise beyond her years, and she won’t shy away from a challenge. It may take a while for her to get completely comfortable with the varsity level... teams will get very physical with her. But she’s not going to back down or get rattled.
“She’s better on the move than with her back to the basket. She’ll be a tough matchup because of her versatility.”
Senior Morgan Bodholdt, junior Araya Fellers, sophomores Meah McCaleb, Ashlyn Wills and Brooklyn Pommer, and freshman Dakota Pommer are other options at the 1, 2 or 3.
“They all have different strengths,” Messerly said. “Morgan’s been around and she can shoot. Araya is smaller (at 5-3), but handles the ball well and has done a nice job at the JV level. Ashlyn is learning on the run, but she has potential and is very competitive. Same with Meah, who will be one of our top reserves and is long and athletic. Kenzie, Ashlyn and Meah all bring that softball mentality to the program, which is always a bonus.
“Brooklyn and Dakota are skilled. They just need time and experience. We lost some really good ballplayers (to graduation), so it’s going to be a work in progress for a while until we find which pieces fit best.”
FRONTCOURT
The elder Maehl has been climbing the ladder as a steady contributor since her freshman season. Maehl averaged 10.2 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the field as a junior.
“Lainey just keeps getting better,” Messerly said. “I think she’s going to have her best year yet. She’s a smart player who knows the game and always ends up in the right spot.
“She’s not necessarily an elite athlete, but she knows how to use her skills and strengths to her advantage. Lainey is mentally tough and basketball strong.”
Hiveley contributed 8.9 points and 7.4 rebounds as the team’s standout sixth player a year ago.
“Paytene is a competitor,” Messerly said. “She knows she’s typically the biggest player on the court and finds ways to use that to her advantage. Now it’s just a matter of keeping her out of foul trouble and harnessing her energy.
“She really likes the challenge once she’s out there, and she has good coordination and a soft touch for a player her size. Paytene’s ceiling remains high.”
Kyrstin Waychoff, a 5-9 power forward, is returning after missing her junior campaign with an injury.
“She’s tall and long,” Messerly said. “We can never have enough rebounders and post defenders.”
Junior Sienna Attig has been dealing with a recurring back injury. Her status for this season remains unknown.
“If we could have her, it would really add to our depth and make a big difference,” Messerly said. “The key is getting everyone to embrace their roles. A basketball team needs a lot of different parts checking a lot of different boxes. Not everyone can be a shooter or scorer — we need to work together as a cohesive unit.”
FD GIRLS, Continued from Page 4
Messenger photo by Britt Kudla LAINEY MAEHL shoots for Fort Dodge last season. Maehl is a three-year varsity regular.
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SCHEDULE AND COACHES
The Dodgers have joined the Iowa Alliance Conference, trading the likes of CIML powers West Des Moines Valley, Ankeny Centennial, West Des Moines Dowling, Ankeny, Waukee Northwest and Southeast Polk for Boone, Storm Lake, Humboldt, Spencer, Sioux City East and Waterloo East.
IAC North rivals Mason City, Ames and Marshalltown remain. The South division is highlighted by Class 5A qualifier Des Moines Roosevelt (20-3 last season) and Des Moines North (16-7), as well as Des Moines Lincoln, Ottumwa, Des Moines East and Des Moines Hoover.
Fort Dodge won seven games in 2019-20, eight in 2020-21 and nine last year. The Dodgers have also dropped to 4A for the 2022-23 athletic campaign on the girls side.
“Being a bigger 4A program now, we’ll have a lot of teams giving us their best shot to knock us off,” Messerly said. “We’ll still be facing some really solid ballclubs and some tough non-conference opponents. We have road trips to Spencer and Humboldt, which will be a challenge.
“The schedule is more reasonable (in terms of size), but far from easy.”
Messerly will again be assisted by Bill Foval. Alex Nagel will fill the other role on the bench.
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FORT DODGE BOYS WRESTLING
Thompson said. “If we can get him healthy at the right time, he can make some things happen.”
Freshman Riley Brown is the frontrunner at 132 pounds with classmate Angel Sandoval, juniors Raily Samayoa and freshman Domanick Norris.
After reaching the 126-pound championship match in his rookie campaign, Koy Davidson has bulked up and will wrestle at 138 pounds for the Dodgers.
Davidson (34-7) lost in the finals to Southeast Polk’s junior Nathanel Jesuroga in 2022.
“Koy had a terrific freshman year,’’ Thompson said. “He is bigger, stronger and more seasoned.
Junior Bo Cowell, who missed last season with an injury, will battle at 145 pounds with freshman Caiden Fraher, sophomores John Phann and Hunter Richardson.
MIDDLE WEIGHTS
Damarion Ross had a busy and successful offseason, with an AllAmerican showing at Fargo Nationals. During the Greco session, Ross lost his first match, but reeled off nine straight victories for a bronze-medal placement.
Ross, a two-time state qualifier, has a career high school mark of 55-26. He will jump to 152 from 138.
“Damarion is bigger and stronger,’’ Thompson said. “He had a great offseason. He is really focused.
Sophomores Mason Liska and Aiden Behrends, along with freshman Jesse Egli, will be the 160-pound candidates.
Liska saw a lot of varsity time for the Dodgers last season and showed improvement as the season progressed.
Jesse is the final Egli. Brothers Duke, Jonah, Levi and Ben were all medalists for the Dodgers.
At 170 pounds is junior Karsen Smith and sophomore Carlos Eilas.
FD MAT, Continued from Page 10
Messenger photos by Britt Kudla DRU AYALA (top) wrestles at the state tournament last season. Ayala was a state runner-up for FDSH, and is a two-time medalist heading into his junior campaign.
DODGER KOY DAVIDSON (bottom) wrestles at state in Des Moines. Davidson was a runner up as a freshman.
UPPER WEIGHTS
Juniors Cal Hartman and Zeke Pineda are at 182. In his first full varsity season a year ago, Hartman had a 25-win campaign and was fourth in the district meet.
“Cal did really well,’’ Thompson said. “He’s gotten a lot bigger and stronger. He put a lot of time in during the offseason, training at the club and in the weight room.
Ross enters the high school ranks at 195 pounds, fresh off a banner offseason. The 6-foot-3 freshman was a Fargo National champion to go along with freestyle and Greco titles at the 15U Pan-Am Games.
“Dreshaun is a specimen,’’ Thompson said. “He could be a dangerous wrestler. If he continues to train his mind right, he’s going to be something special.
Senior Collin Munter has slimmed down and will compete at 220 for the Dodgers.
After his state qualifying campaign, Nichols will be back for his final goround.
Freshman Luke Fierke is still recovering from a shoulder injury following a summer in which he qualified for Fargo Nationals.
FORT DODGE BOYS WRESTLING ST. EDMOND WRESTLING
BOBBY THOMPSON Dodger wrestling coach
“Luke is very ready and eager to get going once he’s healthy,’’ Thompson said.
SCHEDULE
The Dodgers who will now be in the Iowa Alliance Conference, will have a mix of familiar foes and new competition.
Fort Dodge will still take on the likes of Mason City, Marshalltown and Ames. In between duals will be an incredibly difficult tournament schedule.
The Dodgers open with a dual at Southeast Polk, followed by the Dan Gable Donnybrook in Coralville.
“We will definitely be more of a tournament team,’’ Thompson said. “The district assignments came out and we will see everyone that we need to through (events at) the Donnybrook, Council Bluffs, Ames and Cedar Rapids.”
COACHES
Thompson will have 10 coaches to lean on during the season. Tom McClimon, Tanner Utley and Mark Rial will be the paid assistants.
Returning to coach the Dodgers as an assistant will be former head coach Ed Birnbaum. The Hall of Famer hasn’t been on the program’s sidelines in 18 years.
Two-time state champion Sam Cook will join the coaching ranks, along with Jay Schipper, a two-time finalist at North Scott who wrestled four years for Northern Iowa.
Ben Schweer, Tim Scott, Kevin Yeoman and Brendon Doebel are also on the staff. FD MAT, Continued from Page 20
Messenger photos by Britt Kudla MAX BISHOP (top) will return for his senior season and look to qualify for the state tournament for the fourth consecutive time.
DAMARION ROSS (bottom) will compete in his junior campaign for the Dodgers after placing seventh in 2022. SE MAT, Continued from Page 12
EUGENE CARLSON St. Edmond wrestling coach
program, you have a more competitive practice room and that makes you a more competitive athlete.”
Senior Ronnie Orres, junior Zach Rossmanith and sophomores Sam Myer and Adam Walker are back with sectional experience under their belts. Myer won 12 matches last year, with Rossmanith and Walker each earning nine wins.
“We’ve got some kids that know what it takes,” Carlson said. “They have been really good about taking the younger ones under their wings and showing them the ropes.
“The biggest thing is we have to get these kids more involved in the sport of wrestling. That means competing over the summer and really working to improve in all aspects.
“Wrestling isn’t just something you can pick up on overnight and be very successful in, but I like the way these kids have bought into learning everything they can as quickly as they can.”
Orres, Carter Rial, Emiliano Guillen and Yoon Sang Kim are seniors, with Rossmanith as the lone junior. Myer and Walker are joined by 10th-graders Quintin Jaeschke and Kade Schlegel, with ninthgraders Thomas Knobbe, Kinnick Henning and Max Webster completing the roster.
Knobbe, a member of the state cross country team this past fall with Rial, is slated for 113. Henning, who played on both offense and defense for the Gaels on the football field, is at 120 with Orres at 126.
Rial should be at 126 with Myer at 132, Guillen at 145, Kim at 160, Rossmanith at 170, Jaeschke at 182, Walker at 195, Schlegel at 220 and Webster at heavyweight.
“If that all works out, it will be really nice to be able to put nearly a complete lineup out there,” Carlson said. “The kids want to compete and they want a chance to show that they can really do it.”
Myer also made the finals of the Doug Wood Invitational last year, a meet in which Orres and Guillen each placed third. Myer and Walker also captured titles at the North Central Conference JV Tournament, with Kim finishing fourth.
St. Edmond will head to Ogden for a Class 1A district meet with the likes of Emmetsburg, Manson Northwest Webster and West Bend-Mallard. There will no longer be a sectional meet, with the district champion and runner-up advancing to state.
ST. EDMOND GIRLS BASKETBALL
SE GIRLS, Continued from Page 12
a different style.
“There are really a lot of different options for us to work with.”
Flaherty, Kolacia, Baker and Heldorfer all made starts last year, with Henning, Lawler, Neverman and Gibb seeing extensive action.
After recovering from a knee injury, Flaherty scored 104 points with a team-leading 101 rebounds to go along with 19 steals and eight blocked shots. Kolacia scored 62 points with 71 rebounds, 31 steals and 11 assists, while Baker added 17 points, 30 rebounds, 13 steals and five assists.
“That group of seniors are the types of leaders you want leading your team,” Tracy said. “They come to practice, work hard and are willing to show the younger kids what it takes.
“They have been around the program and know what we expect, and know what it will take to be successful.”
With that experience, Tracy is also expecting to see an improvement and decrease in turnovers, with Kolacia returning to handle the ball.
“It’s been something we have stressed,” Tracy said. “We know, and the girls know, that we have to get more shot attempts off if we want to be successful. We just didn’t put up enough shots last year to win, and a lot of that was because of the turnovers.
“With some of the changes we are making, and the addition of a shot clock, I feel like we can really improve in that area.”
Heldorfer has been a regular in the rotation since early on, scoring 22 points with 62 rebounds, 20 assists and 15 steals last year. She is the only returning player to have recorded at least 60 points, 20 assists and 15 steals a season ago.
Henning made the most 3-pointers last year among players returning, finishing with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Leiting saw action in 19 games and recorded seven steals.
Lawler and Neverman both provide key depth inside behind Flaherty and Gibb.
“They are strong girls who are willing to go after the ball,” Tracy said. “We need players who are willing to go up against some of the taller girls that we will face, and both Abby and Maya are willing to do that.”
Gibb scored 13 points with 13 rebounds after being moved up to varsity last year, while Harvey saw action in one game.
“With Katie and Lauren inside, they both have such strong basketball IQs,” Tracy said. “They can both hit the midrange shot, but understand that we need them down low to be successful.
“They do a great job of communicating with one another and helping each other on both ends of the floor.”
Lursen got her feet wet as the No. 1 runner for the statequalifying cross country team in the fall, while both Andrew and Underberg played volleyball for the Gaels.
“It’s a group that we are going to need for depth,” Tracy said. “They are good athletes like the rest of the team and will definitely be a nice addition.
“If we can get the inside game going, I know we have girls that can knock the outside shot down. I tell them that if you are open, shoot the ball, and that is definitely something they have taken to heart.”
Along with a tough nonconference schedule, St. Edmond will once again be challenged on a nightly basis in the North Central Conference, where perennial state contender Clear Lake reigns supreme.
“They’ll be the frontrunners again,” Tracy said. “Algona has a lot of starters back, Humboldt has a solid group returning and both Clarion-Goldfield/Dows and Iowa Falls have talent.
“We just know that it is going to be a tough game every night we step on the floor in the league, but it definitely gets us ready for the postseason playing these kind of teams.”
Shawn Neverman will once again be an assistant under Tracy.
FORT DODGE BOWLING COVER STORY: FORT DODGE’S ALEXIS ROSS
FD BOWL, Continued from Page 14
NICK VINSON FDSH bowling coach
“On the boys side, we are pretty deep,’’ Vinson said. “We have four or five guys who are going to pull away because they are seasoned. There are 10 to 12 others who have a shot right now.
“We are pretty deep and we have options.”
Vinson will have to fill the void left from fouryear state qualifiers Lexi Hanson and Alexis Kenney on the girls team. Kenney was seventh individually.
“Alexis and Lexi were always consistent, so that is a big loss,” Vinson said. “The thing with them was they had the ability to rise to the occasion.
“They went to state and finished in the top five, so we will see what we can do in terms of trying to replace them.”
Seniors AJ Feathers, Hailey Folsom and Aryssa Lumsden were part of the state qualifying core. Feathers was 13th at districts a year ago; Folsom was 17th.
Lumsden has been on a state-qualifying team all three of her seasons as a Dodger.
Vinson knows it will be tough to bridge the gap, but the cupboard is far from bare.
“Aryssa, Gabby (Flores), Hailey, and AJ have all seen significant varsity time,’’ Vinson said. “They still have a lot of experience. Now we have to find those top two girls and someone who can step up when it matters most.”
Vinson is hoping can also lean on a few returnees and some new comers to fill out the rotation. Senior Kat Berry, juniors Baylee Wilson and Sol Birkey, sophomore Danika Russell and incoming freshmen Calli Graves and Amyra Lumsden are all possibilties.
“There will be a transition process for the girls early on. Trying to see who goes where and what rotation will give us the best shot,” Vinson said. “It’s great to win dual meets, but we are building for the postseason. Winning dual meets and having a good record is nice, but we try to get ready for and peak at the end of the year.”
For the girls, who finished 11-0 in duals, Feathers (354), Lumsden (345), Flores (319) and Folsom (279) carried the top series for returnees.
“Year in and year out, we have been competitive and have a shot at going to state, so that remains the goal,’’ Vinson said. “We have some underclassmen and some seasoned bowlers back. It’s nice to be able to carry on the tradition.”
Submitted photo ALEXIS ROSS (far right) stands with her siblings when they were younger. Pictured with her (left to right) are Dreshaun, Damarion, Drevon and Alaysha. Alexis will be defending her state title in Iowa’s first year of sanctioned girls wrestling.
Andre said. “It was my daughter. I wasn’t quite sure it was a good idea at first.”
Mom, on the other hand, was all for it.
“I actually liked the idea a lot,’’ Amy said. “I was the biggest supporter of Alexis doing it, and the more we talked about it, we knew she could do it.
Once Alexis started wrestling, the what ifs and maybes quickly disappeared. So did any hesitancy.
She was a natural.
Alexis took to the sport quickly, and it became more about her wrestling skill than anything else.
“In her first couple of tournaments she was smiling the whole time,’’ Andre said. “She just kept getting better. There was one tournament when she lost to a boy, but then she came back and beat him, and she knew she could do it.
With the early success Alexis was having on the mat, it piqued her brother Damarion’s interest. He ultimately came around and joined his siblings.
In the back of Andre’s mind, there was always a fear that his little girl would get hurt.
A tournament in Jefferson put his mind at ease.
“It was a small tournament,” Andre said. “She was wrestling against a really aggressive boy in a four-person bracket. He was more active, but she never backed off and got mad and wrestled harder.
Alexis had gained an instant passion for the sport in the process.
Those were the early years — the building blocks to ultimately push Alexis and her siblings into the Dodger record books.
“One person that has helped Alexis and the boys out a ton is (former FDSH state placewinner) Jamie Allison,’’ Andre said. “We wrestled with him from the start in his local youth club, and he has been in their corner ever since.
ROSS, Continued from Page 1
ANDRE ROSS Alexis Ross’ father
